Town of Lima, Sheboygan County, Wisconsin

Our Mission

We envision the Town of Lima as an area dominated by agriculture in harmony with a strong
natural resource base. Situated between the two communities of Sheboygan Falls and Oostburg,
the town does and will continue to provide a safe, quiet country atmosphere with friendly people.
To preserve and maintain its uniqueness, careful planning is essential for continued slow,
managed growth.

Lima History

Settlement in the Town of Lima began before Wisconsin became a state. In 1836, the Gibbs
brothers were the first permanent settlers in the Town of Lima. They settled in the area now known
as Gibbsville. The Town was named Lima, thanks to Hiram Humphrey in 1850, when it separated
from Sheboygan Falls. The soil in the Town of Lima was of high interest to early prospectors, as it
promised to produce good crops for early settlers.

Before 1849, the Town of Lima was called Wakefield and later Wheat Valley. The Town was part of a larger
township known as the Town of Gibbsville and a precinct of Sheboygan Falls. However, in 1850, Lima became their
own organized town. There were many churches and cheese factories built throughout the Town of Lima
during the 1800s. At one point, there were 17 cheese factories in the Town. By 1850, the Town of Lima had
built seven rural public schools to serve 229 students. Some of the old school buildings have been demolished,
while others have been remodeled into homes. The Lima Center School, at five corners, has become the current
Town Hall.

Modern-Day Lima

The Town of Lima includes two unincorporated villages, Hingham and Gibbsville. Hingham
established a church in 1860 and sawmill in the 1830’s. Gibbsville was founded in 1836 by three
Gibbs brothers. The Gibbsville post office was established on December 21, 1846.

As of January 1, 2007, the Town of Lima had an estimated population of 2,962 and encompassed an
area of approximately 22,900 acres. Known for its gently rolling, rural farmlands and country
atmosphere, the Town is located in southeastern Sheboygan County, adjacent to the Town of Wilson
to the east, Town of Holland to the south, Town of Lyndon to the west, Town of Sheboygan Falls to
the north, Town of Sherman to the south-west and the Town of Plymouth to the north-west. The town
of Lima is also adjacent to the Villages of Kohler to the north-east and Oostburg to the south-east, and
the City of Sheboygan Falls to the north.